5 Small Insects That Can Cause Huge Problems For Your Home

When you have your own house, you more than likely are going to be constantly worrying about larger problems. You will be looking for water damage, foundation issues, and other larger things, when it is actually the small things that will often cause the most damage. Small insects can have a large impact on your home, now matter whether they cause structural damage or health problems. Here is a list of the 5 small insects that can cause huge problems that can cause problems for any home.

Ants

Ants can cause serious problems for your home. For example, carpenter ants have been known to create tunnels in wood to build their nests. They can live in large groups with as many as 10,000 carpenter ants! Another ant commonly found in home infestations is the pharaoh ant, which carries dangerous pathogens and bacteria such as Staphylococcus, Salmonella, Pseudomonas, Clostridium and Streptococcus. Pharaoh ants have been known to spread these pathogens and bacteria through food contamination, even in items that have been tightly sealed because of their tiny 1/16th inch long size! Pharaoh ants, a tropical species invasive to the United States, tend to create nests in warm, humid areas. Some of their favorite nesting locations indoors include wall voids, sinks, furniture, cabinets, light fixtures, appliances, and even in food boxes!

Bed Bugs

Bed bugs can cause huge problems for your home by infesting beds and feeding on blood, which can lead to itchy, red welts. Scratching these welts could lead to infection as well as scarring. For some people, a bed bug bite can lead to anaphylaptic shock in the worst of cases.

Ticks

Even though a tick infestation is not a common occurrence, it only takes one tick to latch onto one of your pets and cause an infestation in your home. The reason why ticks can cause huge problems for your home is because they carry harmful diseases like Lyme Disease and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, both of which can cause serious medical complications.

Beetles

There are smaller species of beetles that can cause serious problems for your home. For example, the carpet beetle, which is only 3/8 of an inch long, can feast on dried animal and plant products in your home. These items include carpets, furs, hides, feathers, hair, silk, linen, cotton and rayon. They have been known to destroy furniture, clothing, and taxidermy pieces as well.

Other small beetles, such as the confused flour beetle, sawtooth grain beetle and drugstore beetle can contaminate food products such as flour, cookies, chocolate, dried fruit, pasta, pet food, spices, cereal and various grains. Another beetle that can cause problems is the powder post beetles. The powder post beetle has a tendency to eat raw wood, which can be a problem if any of the wood in your house is not treated with varnish, wax, or is simply unpainted.

Termites

Termites can cause serious structural damage to a home because of their tendency to create huge subterranean colonies within wood. They like to feast on soft wood, and have been known to completely the wooden structure within a home.

In conclusion, if you find any pests in your home, whether large or small, you nee to call a pest control company as soon as possible, since they will be able to stop and prevent the spread of this outbreak. For example, a company that does pest control in Long Beach will first kill the insects that are already in your home, but they will also take measures to kill and stop other insects that might be trying to penetrate into your house.